The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1887-09-29
MIR. CLEVELAND IN THE SOUTH.
The Hon. William &. Oates Chats with a New
York Reporter on Pertinent Topics.
(From the New York star.

y
Prominent among the many notables seen
here and there in the corridors of the Fifth
Avenue Hotel to-day, discussing finance,
stocks and politics, was Hon. William G.
Oats, representative of the Third Congress.
sional district of Alabama
After expressing his admiration for the
STAR he spoke at length as to the feeling in
the South relative TO President Clevcland's
course and the conduct of the administra-
ton, and said:
"a general and we'll defined feeling PIE
walls throughout the South that President
Cleveland is q thoroughly honest and con
ScientiOus man and one whose greatest aim
is to preserve the interests of the country.
What do you think the Democratic
National Convention will do in 1882
queried the reporter.
'Well, in answer to that | will say that
l know what the delegates should do; they
should renominate Cleveland for President
by acclamation."
do the Southern people indorsc Clcve-
land policy throughout"
LAS near as | can learn they arc all of
one accord rs to the CeYcand's course as
the Chief Executive Of the nation. A little
feeling of opposition was cngendercd during
the first year of Ceveland's administration
owing to his strict conformity to the Civil
the South applaud him for living up to the
words embodied in the Democratic plat
form Of 1884, and upon which Clcvcland
stood as the standard bearer of the Demo
cratic party, promising the people to be
true to the principles expressed, as laid
down and adopted by the convention which
nominated him."
"Then you are o firm believer in civil
service reform, are you Congressman
Oates2"
mo, sir. Gen. Forney and myself voted
against Senator Pcndletons bill when the
measure was first introduced in the House.
| believe, sir, that many competent, ell
cicnt and painstalling clerks should be re-
tanned, owing to their knowledge of and
experience in governmental affairs, but
chiefs of departments and chief clerks,
whose appointments were based wholly ON
PARTISAN zeal, should, in the interest of true
reform, be called upon to resign"
"What do the Southern people think of
tho excitement OCcasioncd by President
Clcvcland's order to return the captured
llags?'
"Well, sir, the Southern people are too
busy and too intelligent to talk about the
matter. So far as the return of the flags is
concerned, the people of the South care not
one jOt. They look upon the flags as lot
| of old rubbish that should be burned or
| buried with the remnants Of the bloody
| shirt When Charles Sumner advocated
obliterating the names Of the battlcneds
from the flags out of respect TO the feeling
Of the people at the South, il was looked
| upon by the Republican party rs a gracious
| and kindly act. Cleveland, feeling that
| twenty years Of peace and prosperity had
ccmcnted the tics once sundcred by grin
war, thought it would Dc a most uonoiliatory
act to issue such an order. Adiutant Gen
eral Drum thought the same thing, but
few political dcmagagucs knowing this al
ministratiOn to be invulnerable as regard
honest motives, have to ferret out som,
sensational issue that will furnish breeze tC
flap the tail Of the ensanguined garment.